Benjamin Franklin feared that if the colonists did not unite to repel the French and Indians, then the colonies would be forever "split," since the French would take more and more land to the east, along the coast.
The old Roman Republic from its Empire had it's Emperor, Hail Caesar, with nearly absolute power. But being a republic then, they also had a Senate of which the Senators were elected from the people, as government's representatives of and for the people. This concept can be adapted to resemble our current legislative branch, vis-à-vis Congress. And of course our executive, commander-in-chief, stems from a less domineering figure of Rome's Emperor Caesar.
